MLB Cancels Opening Day After Talks To End Lockout Fail; Stadium Workers Worried
SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX) -- After days of marathon negotiations, Major League Baseball has officially canceled opening day as the two sides failed to strike a deal by the owners' imposed deadline.
No games means no pay for the players but this also impacts every stadium employee.
The employees that rely on the game day jobs to pay the bills are extremely concerned with how the negotiations ended. Talks to end the lockout collapsed and the league has for now canceled the first two series of the upcoming season.
"We need to regroup and and see how we're going to move this forward," says MLB Commissioner, Rob Manfred. "That's the best I can do for you."
Pitcher Andrew Miller adds, "We've seen this coming in a sense. It's unfortunate but this is not new to us. It's not shocking."
Major League Baseball says it presented the players with its best and final offer but the two sides are far apart on agreeing to a new collective bargaining agreement.
Stadium workers are worried about how the negotiations ended.
"I never never expect this. Never," says Carmen Sandoval, a Coliseum maintenance worker.
Sandoval says she can financially handle a week's worth of no pay but that's about it. Especially since teams like the Raiders and Warriors are no longer here to help fill the void.
She adds, "22 years. I'm happy working there but it's terrible losing two teams and now this one? No, it's too much."
Without the work, she gets no pay and no benefits. Sandoval is praying the two sides are able to come to an agreement to play ball soon.
"Now it's going to be hard because everything is going up. The food, rent and bills," she says.